Stiffener pin for soft collars



March 21, 1933. F. J. BARNE S 1,902,153

STIFFENER PIN FOR 'SOFT COLLARS I T Filed Oct. s, 1932' IBZENTOR Fran JBarnes Patented Mar. 21, 1933 FATENT OFFICE FRANK J. BARNES, 01' 8'1. LOUIS, HISBOUHlI s'nmm PIN FOR 801"]! OOLLABB Application filed October 8, 1938. Serial Ho. 685,925.

This invention relates to soft collars and particularly to detachable stifieners for such collars.

' An object of the invention is to provide a stiffenerpin, adapted for ready insertion in and removal from the front portion of a soft collar, and adapted to be inexpensively formed of wire.

Another object is to provide such a pin with means for securely holding it in its proper position in a collar.

A further object is to form an exposed end of such a pin with a pointed spring fastener, the point whereof may be inserted in the fabric of the collar to hold the pin in place, being resiliently held when so inserted, and readily yieldable to allow a removal of the pm.

These and various other objects the in- 0 vention attains by the construction hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the top portion of a shirt carrying a soft collar, equi ped with a pair of the hereindisclosed sti ener pins, one of the points of said collar being upturned to afiord a better showing of the pin stiffening the same.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the stifiener pin;

Referring now more particularly to these views, wherein like reference characters designate the various parts, 1 designates a shirt and 2 a soft collar attached thereto, said col- 5 lar having the usual hem 3 bordering its free edge and stitched against its rear face.

The present invention comprises a pair of pins 4, formed of a stiff and resilient wire, preferably steel, such as piano wire. The lower end of each pin is tapered to a point 5, but preferably not a sharp one. At its upper end, each pin integrally carries an approximately U-shaped latch head 6, laterally projecting from the pin, at substantially a rightangle thereto, the spaced arms formed by said head being positioned one above the other, and hence occupying a plane which also includes the body of the pin. The upper of said 50 arms is somewhat shorter than the lower, and

is hence terminally spaced a slight distance from the extended axis of the in. Said upper arm has a sharply point free end portion 7 which is'upwardly bent, with pref erably a slight inclination toward the extended axis of the pin.

. In use of the described stidener, the end 5 of each pin is pushed through the hem 3 at a point about one half inch below the neckband 8 of the collar, so that the two pins may be inserted the full length of their body portions within said hems, as the latter approach the two points of the collar. Upon such insertion of each pin, the upper arm of its latch head is swung lightly downward and is released after engaging the point 7? in the fabric of the hem. As said arm regains its normal position, the point 7 penetrates said fabric, so as to sitivelyprevent any accidental escape o the pin from its described position of use. When, however, it becomes necessary to remove the stiffener pins to permit laundering of the collar, or for any other purpose, it is a simple matter to spring the upper arm of the latch head suflicientl y gownward to disengage the point 7 from the era.

It will be noted that the head 6, in addition to exercising its latch function, prov des a convenient means for gripping the pin during its insertion in or removal from a collar.

This device completely prevents rolling up or wrinkling of the points of a soft collar and insures a neat and symmetrical a pearance of said points. It will be applicab e, without change of dimensions to all standard sizes of collars, and is completely hidden behind the collar, in use. No special eyelet in the collar hem is required for insertion of said pin, and the perforation formed by its insertion in the hem is so small, as to be hardly perceptible.

The invention is presented as including all such modifications and changes as come within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is: i

1. A collar stifl'ener comprising a pin insertable at one end in the hem of a collar, and pointed at its other end to engage the collar for holding the pin in inserted position said pin having a sprin portion latorally bent and return-bent a aoent to said pointed end for 'eldably holding the point in engagement wit the collar.

' 2. A collar stifl'ener comprising a pin fashioned at one end for insertion into the hem of a collar, and formed at its other end with a point extending in the general direction of 881d pin for a restraining engagement with the collar, and laterally bent and returnbent adjacent to its pointed end to 'form upper and lower spaced arms, the up per of said arms terminally carryin sud pointed end, in a spaced relation to e extended axis of the pin.

, In testimony whereof I sign this specification ' FRANK J. BARNES. 

